#UPclose: Our Annual Resale Report

This is our second post in a new series we’re calling #UPclose—where we take you behind the scenes to meet our staff, show you cool things we’re working on, and give you a sneak peek into what’s next.

Are you curious? Want to know what styles sell the fastest at thredUP? Or what brands you can save the most on? Find out in our Third Annual Resale Report, where we take an in-depth look at fashion resale industry trends, and give you some tips and tricks for shopping and selling at thredUP. Here, we sat down with our Director of Communications Farrell to find out exactly what’s in the report, how you can use it, and what it all means for our collective mission—to inspire a new generation to think secondhand first.

What is the most surprising fact you found out about the fashion resale industry?
This is the second annual report I’ve put together (thredUP has done three), and it’s been really exciting to watch the industry grow. When I started working here, maybe $50M was invested in online fashion resale, and today it’s over $300M total. Plus, traditional retailers like Patagonia, Eileen Fisher, and H&M are developing their own resale programs, too. It’s been incredible to watch this shift and to help tell the story.

I am always amazed, and shocked, to hear about the amount of textiles that end up in landfill each year (60 lbs on average per American). As we help people save more and earn more each year, we’re also decreasing this number, which makes me happy.

Besides saving money, what are the main reasons people choose secondhand clothing?
People start shopping secondhand online to save money, and then it’s really about the convenience of having all of the brands you love—and new ones that you’ve probably never heard of—in one place (that are always on sale!). You might start shopping on thredUP for the designer name brands you recognize from Nordstrom or Marie Claire, and then get excited to discover new brands and try new styles.

How much can consumers save shopping secondhand?
So much! Last year alone, people saved almost $63M shopping on thredUP, instead of paying full price retail. I recently paid $40 for a Diane von Furstenberg skirt that would have been close to $300 full price retail! It’s easy to cut your clothing budget in half shopping secondhand, plus you can wear brands that you might not be able to afford in a retail store (Helmut Lang, rag & bone, anyone?).

Why does thredUP publish this report every year?
Our CEO James Reinhart came up with the idea for this report over three years ago. He was predicting that the resale industry was really going to take off and wanted thredUP to be the industry leader to start to track it. It’s become a study that the entire team gets excited about each year, to see not only how thredUP has grown, but how consumer shopping and lifestyle habits are shifting (for the better!) with the help of online resale resources.

How can customers benefit from this report?
It will give you an idea of how much you can be saving and earning by incorporating fashion resale into your shopping routine, in addition to sharing the vast assortment of brands accessible to you at amazing prices (from Gap to Gucci).

Plus, you can get an overview of the fashion resale industry, which we hope will get you excited about the fact that you’ll have this great online shopping option for years to come!

Tell us about the new shift in how people shop today.
thredUP’s mission is to inspire consumers to think secondhand first, and we’re starting to see this shift happen! Women are searching for the styles they hear about during the Fashion Week shows, to find them secondhand. They are coming to thredUP for an outfit to wear on a vacation or to a wedding, before heading to a retail store.

There is also an industry trend right now around less ownership—of cars, homes, apparel, and things perceived as “clutter” in your home and life. thredUP is a part of this movement, helping people cycle through clothes in their wardrobes that aren’t bringing them joy.

What are the environmental benefits to shopping secondhand?
Natural resources like water and CO2 are required to manufacture new clothing—approximately 700 gallons of water and 8 lbs of CO2 per t-shirt to be exact. So by shopping secondhand, and keeping our great quality clothing in the “wear cycle” for longer, we’re all helping the environment.

What are the best brands to sell?Women: Rebecca Minkoff, Kate Spade New York, Tory Burch, Marc Jacobs, and Rag & Bone.Kids: UGG Austraila, Minnetonka, The North Face, Crewcuts, and Patagonia.

What are the fastest-selling brands?Women: lululemon athletica, TOMS, Dooney & Bourke, UGG Austraila, and Anthropologie.Kids: The North Face, Matilda Jane, Under Armour, Mini Boden, and TOMS.

Describe your style: I wear a lot of neutrals, and layers (you need them in the summer in San Francisco!) with pretty minimal accessorizing. I’d say it’s a combination of New England prep meets urban chic, since I moved from the east coast about three years ago. 🙂

Favorite thing about your job: My day is never the same, which keeps things exciting! At the end of the day, it’s all about the people I work with who are passionate about building the thredUP brand together, as a team.

Your most frequented personal shop on thredUP: My go-to right now is Editor’s Picks. There’s always a refined sort of our best styles, from designer brands I know to some I’ve never heard and get excited to try. I just added a Madewell skirt from the shop to my cart right now (whoops!).